Boursin Tomato Pasta

Baked in the oven, this Boursin Tomato Pasta is going to be your newest go-to recipe. The simplicity of it is hard to beat and since the main ingredients are fresh tomatoes and Boursin, it’s full of great flavour without needing to spend a long time tending to it. You simply bake the garlic, tomato and Boursin, then mix in the pasta along with pasta water (important!) – that’s it!

This kind of recipe went viral on Tiktok, with feta in place of Boursin, but I've been cooking with Boursin for years so I wanted to try it this way! Boursin is a delicious, creamy soft cheese, laced with garlic and herbs. It's usually served cold but actually, it melts beautifully which is why it's so good in this recipe.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It's simple and easy. It comes together in one baking dish and one pan for the pasta.
• The recipe is adaptable to use other cheese and vegetables so you can use what you have in the fridge.
• The roasted garlic levels up this recipe with no effort required at all.
• It's easy to scale up for a crowd.

Ingredients

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Tomatoes - we used medium tomatoes but if you can find gorgeous on-the-vine cherry tomatoes, those would be best.

A whole garlic head - yes, a whole head! It won’t overpower the dish, don’t worry, since we roast it alongside the tomatoes in a good drizzle of olive oil. This mellows the flavour so you get this sweet caramelised flavour in the pasta.

Spaghetti - use whatever pasta you have in, I like a long pasta here like spaghetti or linguine but it won’t impact the recipe, so short shapes work too.

Boursin - garlic & herb is the classic Boursin cheese flavour. They do have other ones but this is the best one in my opinion and the best here.

Chilli flakes - just for a little bit of warmth in the dish but if you are making for children, you can of course leave them out.

Fresh basil - I love fresh basil to lift the creamy, garlicky sauce and add freshness too.

Parmesan - this adds a lovely saltiness and depth of flavour to the sauce.

Substitutions and Variations

Make it vegan: Use vegan Boursin if cooking for vegans and use plant based Parmesan.

Make it gluten-free: Swap the pasta for your favourite gluten-free option.

Tomatoes: You could also add some red peppers or sundried tomatoes to the roasting dish alongside the cherry tomatoes, that would be delicious. When tomatoes are out of season, you could use tinned tomatoes. You wouldn't roast in the oven like you do with the fresh tomatoes but it would make a good tomato sauce. Roast the garlic with oil in the oven for 30 minutes. Smash the garlic into a tin of tomatoes and bubble for 10 minutes. Season well and then you can stir in 1 wheel of boursin, basil, parmesan. Add to the cooked pasta and enjoy!

Boursin: the viral recipe used feta so that would also work here too. I would just use one good-quality block of feta rather than two as it is much saltier than Boursin and you don't want to overpower the dish.

Make it spicy: Add a more generous pinch of chilli flakes when roasting and then finish with more chilli flakes when done. Or take a fresh red chilli, chopped, and add to the roasting tin with the tomatoes. Then it will become part of the sauce at the end, with a good level of heat. Adjust how much chilli or the type of chilli, depending on your preference.

Adding vegetables: You could add other vegetables to the tomatoes when roasting. Some chopped red onion would be delicious or add a handful of spinach to the sauce for the last few minutes of roasting. It will wilt down into the sauce.

Here's how to make Boursin Tomato Pasta

The full recipe is at the bottom of the page for all measurements and detailed instructions but this is a simple step by step guide to help.

ONE: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the Boursin in a baking dish. Scatter over the halved tomatoes. Cut the top off the whole garlic head, exposing the cloves, and place it next to the tomatoes.

TWO: Add the oregano and sugar, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

THREE: Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the tomatoes are blistered, caramelised, and the garlic is soft.

FOUR: Once roasted, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of the skin.

FIVE: Mash together with the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, beating in the creamy Boursin to create a delicious sauce. Add around 60ml (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until creamy.

SIX: Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the chopped basil leaves and add more pasta cooking water if the sauce appears too dry. Add the Parmesan.

Cooking Tips

Roasting garlic: Make sure you cover the garlic head in oil so it doesn't burn. Once it's roasted, the bulbs will pop out when you squeeze it and these garlic cloves are so sweet and mellow.

Making for more people: If scaling up for more people, this is very simple. It will cook well for large groups as the pasta is cooked separately and drained, so you don't need to adjust measurements of stock/water to absorb perfectly into the pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other recipes to try

For more easy pasta recipes, try my Spicy Tomato Nduja Pasta, Baked Artichoke & Lemon Pasta or Creamy Lemon Pasta.

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments…  I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!

Boursin Tomato Pasta

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Easy baked Boursin Tomato Pasta that makes a minimal effort creamy sauce, perfect for a quick dinner. Delicious.

• Author: margie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2-3 1x
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Global
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 600g ripe medium vine tomatoes, halved (or cherry tomatoes work very well here!)
• 1 small whole garlic head (or 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 225 g spaghetti
• 1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 x 150g Garlic & Herb Boursin rounds
• 20g Parmesan
• Handful of fresh basil leaves

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Place the Boursin in a baking dish. Scatter over the halved tomatoes. Cut the top off the whole garlic head, exposing the cloves, and place it next to the tomatoes. Add the oregano and sugar, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the tomatoes are blistered, caramelised, and the garlic is soft.
4. While the tomatoes and garlic are roasting, cook the pasta al dente in heavily salted water according to the package instructions. Reserve about 240ml (1 cup) of pasta cooking water before draining (you won’t add all of it to the sauce but it’s good practice to reserve a large amount just in case)
5. Once roasted, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of the skin and mash together with the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, beating in the creamy Boursin to create a delicious sauce. Add around 60ml (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until creamy.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the chopped basil leaves and add more pasta cooking water if the sauce appears too dry. Add the Parmesan and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Top with more Parmesan, some fresh basil and enjoy!

Notes

Scroll up for a step by step guide to help you make tomato boursin pasta.

To store: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: Any leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until piping hot. Otherwise, add to a pan over medium heat and mix until it comes back into a smooth sauce. It may need a splash of water to loosen it a little. 

To freeze: I wouldn't freeze this as the sauce will likely turn grainy once defrosted.

Make ahead: I wouldn't mix the pasta in with the sauce until ready to serve. If you want to really get ahead, you could prep everything into the baking dish and then cover and place in the fridge. Roast when ready and then toss in the pasta. I wouldn't roast the sauce ahead of time as you want the Boursin to be melted and smooth. 

Make it vegan: Use vegan Boursin if cooking for vegans and use plant based Parmesan.

Make it gluten-free: Swap the pasta for your favourite gluten-free option. 

Tomatoes:  You could also add some red peppers or sundried tomatoes to the roasting dish alongside the cherry tomatoes, that would be delicious. When tomatoes are out of season, you could use tinned tomatoes. You wouldn't roast in the oven like you do with the fresh tomatoes but it would make a good tomato sauce. Roast the garlic with oil in the oven for 30 minutes. Smash the garlic into a tin of tomatoes and bubble for 10 minutes. Season well and then you can stir in 1 wheel of boursin, basil, parmesan. Add to the cooked pasta and enjoy!

Boursin: the viral recipe used feta so that would also work here too. I would just use one good-quality block of feta rather than two as it is much saltier than Boursin and you don't want to overpower the dish.

Make it spicy: Add a more generous pinch of chilli flakes when roasting and then finish with more chilli flakes when done. Or take a fresh red chilli, chopped, and add to the roasting tin with the tomatoes. Then it will become part of the sauce at the end, with a good level of heat. Adjust how much chilli or the type of chilli, depending on your preference.

Adding vegetables: You could add other vegetables to the tomatoes when roasting. Some chopped red onion would be delicious or add a handful of spinach to the sauce for the last few minutes of roasting. It will wilt down into the sauce.